wonder walls
What can spice up a blah wall and turn a small nook into a vibrant jewel box? Wallpaper. Moving far beyond the stale duck and floral prints of yesteryear, today's designs come in a spellbinding range of moody dark academia patterns, vintage-inspired botanicals, intriguing woodland creatures, fine art prints, and cottagecore charm. This definitely isn't your grandmother’s wallpaper.
9 min read
What can spice up a blah wall and turn a small nook into a vibrant jewel box? Wallpaper. Moving far beyond the stale duck and floral prints of yesteryear, today's designs come in a spellbinding range of moody dark academia patterns, vintage-inspired botanicals, intriguing woodland creatures, fine art prints, and cottagecore charm. This definitely isn't your grandmother’s wallpaper.
Material and adhesion options
Wallpaper comes in peel and stick, prepasted, and apply-your-own-paste options, as well as different materials such as grasscloth, vinyl, matte paper, and non-woven material mixes. Peel and stick removable vinyl is perfect for renters or if you’d like to try out a pattern without fully committing, and designs often are available in several material and adhesion options. Especially if you’re planning on papering just one wall, spicing up your space with even the more costly wallpapers can be affordable.
To prepare a wall for wallpaper, remove old wallpaper, protruding hardware, and outlet faceplates. Fill any holes or cracks with spackle, sand down bumps to eliminate texture, and wash away dirt or dust with a damp cloth. Ensure the surface is smooth, clean, and completely dry, and consider applying a primer to seal the surface, which ensures proper adhesion and makes the wallpaper easier to remove in the future.
There are endless designs of wallpaper available; these are some of my favorites.
Amazon, Muralpeel, baby’s breath on grass green
This meadow of wildflowers showcases white Queen Anne’s lace, baby’s breath, and dark green foliage on a dusty green background.
Amazon, NuWallpaper, Mirei Asian inspired watercolor floral on grey
I had this soothing but interesting Asian-inspired floral watercolor wallpaper in soft grey with pops of greenish gold in my study. Currently 13% off.
Amazon, Pip & Lo ochre and clementine garden wallpaper
This cute and colorful retro look pattern featuring fruit and flowers would be perfect in a kitchen.
Charles Voysey Wallpaper, the owl wallpaper
I was familiar with this artist’s work, but not his name. Voysey was one of the founders of the English arts and crafts movement. His delightful patterns center around stylized animals, birds and flowers. This charming owl paper comes in a few colorways. I also like gardine in dusk, perrycroft scroll in several colors, and natural butterfly.
Etsy, Avelon Wall Gallery, art nouveau William Morris-inspired wallpaper
This design features sweeping cream-colored leaves and delicate floral clusters on a moody dark charcoal background, evoking the luxurious spirit of the arts and crafts movement. Currently 20% off.
Etsy, Avelon Wall Gallery, Van Gogh cherry blossom in teal blue wallpaper
Another Van Gogh print (see below for other options), this paper features delicate white blossoms dancing across a deep teal canvas, showcasing the mastery of impressionist brushstrokes. Currently 20% off.
Etsy, Beverly Walls Co., vintage hot air balloon mural wallpaper
Paste this charming vintage hot air balloon scene in your steampunk inventor study or nursery. Currently 50% off.
Etsy, Bumeta Wall Art US, enchanted forest celestial woodland wallpaper
This whimsical midnight magic wallpaper features a dark navy canvas with hand-illustrated foxes, noble deer, and watchful owls nestled among ancient stone arches and shimmering fountains under twinkling stars and constellations.
Etsy, Canvas and Ivy, obsidian berry wallpaper
This truly striking design has a dark, atmospheric ground in layered charcoal and slate, featuring delicate branches tipped with golden berries scattered like constellations, lending a subtle shimmer.
Etsy, Canvas and Ivy, garden drift abstract botanical wallpaper
This paper blends muted clay, mustard, olive, and soft green tones with an overlay of floating stems and rounded leaf shapes for a painterly midcentury modern meets boho feel, perfect for a more mod kitchen or living room accent wall.
Etsy, Dentz Decor, butterfly wing wallpaper
This striking pattern adds drama with oversized layered butterfly wings with refined organic detailing, a painterly texture, and tonal contrast. Currently 10% off.
Etsy, Magical Wall Studio, dark alchemy wallpaper
Dark academia cream herbs and magical Harry Potter style lettering on a dark grey background showcases potion recipes, botanical sketches, and mystery bottles for a wizardly vibe. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, MarWALLous, mythical animal folklore wallpaper
This enchanting folklore-inspired wallpaper features mythical creatures — winged foxes, wolves, and serpents — and moons, stars, and woodland botanicals, perfect for a nursery or playroom. Currently 35% off.
Etsy, Mon Wallpapers, sepia tone herbarium mural wallpaper
A herbarium cabinet on the wall, this vintage design features overlapping pressed specimen sheets of ferns, grasses, seed heads, thistles, maple leaves and flowering stems in fine ink drawings and with lines of old handwritten script beside them. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, Nur Wallpaper, celestial moon night sky mural wallpaper
This stunning wall mural features a navy night sky with gold and cream and metallic gold stars. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, Papered Charm Designs, moody gothic chinoserie wallpaper
Infuse your space with drama with this paper featuring dark florals, twisted vines, mushrooms, and a solitary raven for a gothic feel. A matching pillow cover is also available. Currently 20% off. Here’s a similar but slightly different option from Aurelia Walls Studio. Currently 30% off.
Etsy, On Decor Store, dark background vintage wildflowers wallpaper
This moody botanical cottagecore wallpaper features wildflowers in tones of rust, brown, green, and beige on a dark background. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, Room Bloom Art, vintage earth tones butterfly wallpaper
This vintage-inspired wallpaper features an elegant, repeating pattern of beautifully detailed butterflies in warm, earthy tones. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, Say Home Decor, William Morris-inspired acanthus wallpaper
Inspired by William Morris, this art nouveau wallpaper features sage green, cream, and slate blue acanthus swirls on a moody dark background. This shop features a few peel-and-stick Morris-inspired designs, including this acanthus pattern in a rose colorway, and this green Blackthorn pattern, always one of my favorites.
Etsy, Serene Wallpaper, art deco floral wallpaper
This beautiful repeating intricate Victorian-inspired art deco pattern in lavender blue and greens would be perfect in a bath or with green woodwork as shown. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, art nouveau lily of the valley wallpaper
Spoonflower is known for its charming paper and fabric designs. This paper features a repeating art noveau swirled pattern of lily of the valley in blues, greens, and white. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, luna moths and moon phases green wallpaper
On a dusty green background, a repeating stylized pattern of luna moths cavort under the phases of the moon. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, purple dutch iris and moths wallpaper
This is an unusual, bold design featuring dark purple irises and earth toned moths in a dramatic sculptural repeat pattern. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, Van Gogh almond blossom in sage green wallpaper
I placed this sage green replica of Van Gogh’s famous almond blossoms painting on my office wall. It offers a soothing yet interesting botanical view during the work day. Currently 25% off. Here’s another option by Etsy seller Avelon Wall Gallery that’s more of a mural in scale. Currently 20% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, butterfly botanical wallpaper
I love this charming vintage-look print featuring butterflies, leaves, and berries so much that I’m searching for somewhere in my home where it will fit; I’ve had it saved for a few years now. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, William Morris style slate blue botanical wallpaper
This is not a William Morris print, but is in the art noveau style, featuring delicate white sketched butterflies, leaves, and flowers on a slate blue ground. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, Bluebirdcoop yellow and green floral wallpaper
This charming cottagecore print features some of my favorite neutral decor colors, shades of green and gold in a watercolor look floral pattern, perfect for a bedroom or kitchen. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, coastal flora and heron wallpaper
This whimsical design is a little different than what I usually would choose, but designer Leslie Davis used it to line a bookcase in the HGTV show Unsellable Houses, and I found it charming for a coastal or cottagecore decor look. Here’s a similar style, but for a kitchen, featuring herbs. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, unicorn woodland forest silver or gold metallic wallpaper
This pattern features unicorns and leaves on a dark navy background, available in silver or gold metallic shimmer. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, colorful retro owls wallpaper
These 50’s atomic age colorful and quirky owls would perk up a nursery or fun boho living space, pulling in lots of retro colors. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, Spoonflower, gothic ravens slate grey wallpaper
On a greyish blue background, large flying ravens, white flowers, and olive green accents bring a dark academia look. Currently 25% off.
Etsy, The Color Flow, vintage sage green botanical wallpaper
This Victorian look, artist designed delicate botanical wallpaper featuring berries and leaves would be stunning with some of the current green or cream paint colors I’m always saving on Pinterest. Currently 10% off.
Etsy, Wallco Wallpapers, dark botanical medieval secret garden wallpaper
This design brings your wall a fairytale world deep in a dark forest. With twinkling stars, enchanting deer, and mysterious towers, it adds a mystical atmosphere to any room. Currently 40% off.
Etsy, YGT Wallpaper, vintage look bird and mustard floral wallpaper
Dark birds and leaves with mustard floral accents bring a stylized, almost Scandi cottage look to the walls. Currently 35% off.
Painted Paper, riverbank wallpaper
This company offers thousands of designs, some with matching grasscloth and fabric for layering within a room. Other designs I really like include the cheery cottagecore floral design sun garden, vintage arts and crafts look tulip whimsy, the intricate art noveau Nellie in muted primary colors, and the beautifully rendered dark academia wild fig grove (one of my favorite papers I’ve seen). 25% off sitewide with email signup.
Perigold, A-Street Prints, Ingrid in green wallpaper
Perigold is a great source for numerous brands and designs. This muted (you guessed it, arts and crafts inspired) botanical print is one of my favorites for a moody bedroom or study wall. I also love this William Morris (of course) blackthorn design in charcoal or green.
Wallism, antiquarian study
This mural of giant poppies in pink hues on a cream background with faded words faintly visible would be perfect for a bedroom, dining room, or study accent wall.
Wallism, historic lands, vintage green
This lovely nineteenth-century landscape watercolor mural in greens and sepia features rolling woodland knolls, leafy treetops, and a winding dirt path beneath a soft sky, perfect for an ambient background.
Wallism, pumpkin poppies I
This stunning mod poppies mural in muted oranges, golds, greys, and beiges would be eye-catching as an office background.
Wayfair, Lark Manor, Leavy wallpaper
Something about this moody arts and crafts pattern really calls to me, with its muted colors and sketched slightly abstract florals. Currently 40% off.
Wayfair, York Wallcoverings, dandelion wallpaper in taupe and pink
I’ve also had this delicate blurred watercolor look print of dandelion puffs and leaves saved for awhile. It would be perfect for a moody bedroom accent wall or bath. Currently 25% off.
I love a chinoserie wall mural, and there are many stunning options on Etsy, by color:
Shimmering gold - by wallmarewallpaper currently 30% off; by Wall Zen Wallpapers currently 30% off; by DSV Interiors
Blush pink - by YGT wallpaper; by Neufwallpaper currently 51% off
Blue - by Papier Wall currently 25% off; by Wallibu currently 50% off
Sage green - this may be my favorite, with cranes by PressEscStudio 10% off with code YOURFAVE; by Walldorf currently 50% off
Dark green forest - by Art Deco Wallpapers 45% off with code FAVORITE; by Peel2Stick Wallpaper currently 25% off
No longer a relic of the past, modern wallpaper breathes new life into quiet corners and onto blank walls. It offers whimsical, artful transformations with a spellbinding mix of cottagecore charm, moody patterns, quirky creatures, and vintage botanicals, infusing your home with story and vibrant character.
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